Device for cutting away reeds and water-plants growing in ponds and rivers.



No.- 868,958. PATENTED OCT. 22. 1907.

F. c. ZIEMSEN. DEVICE FOR CUTTING AWAY REEDS AND WATER PLANTS eaowme IN PONDS A-ND RIVERS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRIEDRICH CHRISTOPH ZIEMSEN, OF KLUSS, NEAR WISMAR, GERMANY.

DEVICE FOR CUTTING AWAY REEDS AND WATER-PLANTS GROWING IN PONDS AND RIVERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application filed January 24,1907. Serial No. 353,788.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRIEDRICH CHRIs'rOPH ZIEMSEN, a citizen of the German Empire, and a resident of Kluss, near Wismar, whose post-ofhce address is Kluss, near Wismar, in M ecklenburg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Cutting Away Reeds and Water-Plants Growing in Ponds and Rivers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is a new and improved device for cutting away reeds, waterplants and the like which grow in, and obstruct, ponds, brooks, canals and rivers.

' This new device consists of a long flexible metal band either flat or crossor star-shaped in cross section and having at least two cutting edges which may or may not be toothed like so many saw-blades.

In the accompanying drawing there are shown enlarged perspective views of three different forms of a metal band according to my invention.

Figure 1 shows a metal band having a star shaped cross-section and showing a central part 1 about one sixth of an inch in diameter and four cutting edges 2. Indentures 3 are formed in these edges in order to convert same into so many saws. Fig. 2 shows another form of my device. Two angle-shaped strips 4, 4 of sheet metal are fastened to each other at their angles by aid of rivets 5. Their free edges 6 are sharpened and converted into saw-edges by indentures '7 being formed on them. Fig. 3 shows a metal strip 8 with its two edges set with teeth 9 which are bent alternately up and down and sidewise so as to present cutting edges in all directions.

In order to apply this invention to the cutting away of reeds, waterplants a. s. o. in canals or rivers, the two ends of the metal band are held by two men walking along both sides of the canal or river and dragging the band, floating below the surface of the water, up-stream, at the same time pulling it back and forth across the river in imitation of the motion of a saw. The plants and reeds are thus cut or sawedoff by the action of the cutting edges or of the teeth formed on same and floating to the surface can easily be gathered up. If a pond or a river of great width is to be freed from plants, one or both operators may sit in boats and may row or get dragged up-stream.

It will be understood that the invention is not confined to the particular forms shown in the drawings, and bands, strips or wires of any suitable size and crosssection may be used instead.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device for cutting away reeds and water plants, consisting in a flexible band having a plurality of cutting edges set at angles to one another and each extending longitudinally of the said band.

2. A device for cutting away reeds and water-plants, consisting of a long flexible steel band, having a plurality of cutting edges, said band having a starshaped cross section.

3. A device for cutting away reeds and waterplants, consisting of a long flexible steel band having a plurality of cutting edges and a star-shaped cross section, the edges of said band being toothed like saw-blades.

4. A device for cutting away reeds and waterplants consisting of a long flexible metal band, said metal band having a plurality of cutting edges and a cross-shaped cross-section and consisting of two angle shaped metal strips fastened to each other at their angles, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the 7 presence of two witnesses.

FRIEDRICH CIIRISTOPH ZIEMSEN.

Witnesses HENRY HAsPEn, VVOLDEMAR HAULPT. 

